About Me

A very warm welcome to the blog of Madhwa Brahmins community.We, Madhwa Brahmins are followers of Jagadguru Sriman Madhwacharya. We originally hail from places in Karnataka and the neighboring states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Our main dialects are Kannada, Tulu, Marathi, Telugu and Konkani.

As the above shloka from khila vAyustuti explains, Sri Madhwacharya (also known by the names Poornaprajna and Anandateertha) is the third incarnation of Lord MukhyaprAna Vaayu, after Lord Hanuman and Lord Bheemasena. He is the chief proponent of TattvavAda, popularly known as Dvaita. He was born on Vijayadashami day of 1238 CE at Paajaka Kshetra, a small village near Udupi. He is the 22nd commentator on the Brahma sutras of Lord Sri Veda Vyasa.

Kindly note that this blog contains important topics discussed in our Orkut community and some articles on tattvavAda philosophy. All the topics can be found in the BLOG ARCHIVE (right side)

At the commencement of the Magnum Opus HarikathAmr^itasAra”(HKAS), Shri JagannAtha dAsa with his manifested knowledge chooses to invocate the Lord on the occasion. He says that he will now explain this ‘HarikathAmr^itasAra” with the blessings of his gurus within his limited understanding. He urges the devotees of the Lord to listen to this holyrecital with reverence.

This is the starting stanza of the 32 saMdhis consisting of 988 stanzas of HarikathAmr^itasAra. This must be chanted at the beginning of every saMdhi. HarikathA is the subject here. gurugaLa karuNa – means the kindness of the Lord (and gurus too) leading us to mOxa.

The bhagavadbhaktAs are entitled to this and listening to this HKAS with respect is the relation with this feature. Listening to this HarikathA with bhakti and chanting the same leads to mukti.- the result of our expectations being mOxa.

Good jIvas aim at mukti. Hari is the antarayAmi roopa. The author JagannAtha dAsa seeks the blessings of Lord narasiMha. HarikathA is like a limitless ocean of nectar.

HarikathAmr^itasAra means, only a portion of this nectar, is explained herein. It is impossible to explain the entire ocean.

HarikathA means the story of Hari – as told in the VedAs, Upanishads, and other scriptures. Ramadevi is the abhimAni (One having affectionate pride) for these scriptures. Thus HarikathA could also be understood as RamAdevi.

shrI = radiant, affluent RamAdevi with the affectionate pride of possessing the confidence of the Lord

ramaNi = wife of Lord nArAyaNa

karakamala = lotus like soft hands

pUjita = one who is worshippable

chAru = charming or delightful

charaNa sarOja = worshipped by the lotus like soft hands of RamAdevi

brahma = chaturmukha Brahma

samIra = vAyu devaru

vANi = saraswati devi (and bhArati devi too)

phaNIMdra = seSha devaru, chief of snakes

vIMdra = garuDa devaru, chief of birds

bhav = R^idra devaru

iMdra = iMdra devaru

mukha = by the assemblage of all above devarus

vinuta = sung in praise

nIraja = Lotus flower bloomed in water

bhavAMD = creation of this world – Lord Brahma

udaya = for the creation of this world too

sthiti = and to protect the same

kAraNane = responsible for the creation and protection of this world

kaivalya dAyaka = one who gives mukti-salvation or liberation

nArasiMhane = oh Lord narasiMha

namipe = I bow to you

karuNipudu = please bless me (in this context)

emage = to us who have trusted your lotus feet

maMgaLava = bliss or happiness

Lord Shri LaxmI Narasimha is the family deity of JagannAtha dasa. RamAdevi, the satvaguNAbhimAni devi is always in the service of the Lord with her lotus like soft hands. The Lord’s charming feet are reverentially adorned by Brahma, Saraswati, VAyu, BhArati, GaruDa, sheSha, iMdra; who’s the cause of world’s creation, stability, & destruction.

JagannAtha dAsa pays obeisance to Lord NarasiMha with a sAShTAMga namaskAra. We all know:-

With (i) the chest, (ii) the head, (iii) the eyes/vision, (iv) the mind, and (v) the speech; and also (vi) the feet, (vii) the hands, and (viii) the knees -- such a praNAma is known as `sAshhTAN^ga'.

With chest (heart), head, eyes (sight), mind, oral stotra recitation, and knees on the floor, hands folded, and with knowledge, I bow to you Lord NarasiMha. This is what JagannAtha dasa means. He appeals to the kind Lord to grant bliss to those who have trusted His Lotus Feet.

MahAlaxmI devi is dependent on ShrI Hari although she has several qualities similar to Lord NArAyaNA. However during praLaya i.e. during annihilation of the world He keeps the entire world in his stomach and protects the same. ShrI Hari has limitless qualities. He has immense qualities which cannot be understood completely by anyone.

MahAbhArata, written by VedavyAsa is the jewel of shAstras understood to be the 5th Veda and has the hidden meaning of several prameyAs. Many of the guNAs of ShrI Hari have been explained therein. Although this is a pouruShya graMtha the VEdAs are apouruShya, shR^iti and smR^iti praise the Lord in all sense.

MahAlaxmI dEvi has the capability to reflect upon the guNAs of ShrI Hari stated in these works, within her capability of perception. However when she perceives the guNAs of ShrI Hari beyond her insights of Hari then she recognizes that ShrI HarI has a variety of new guNAs. Thus, She discovers his new guNAs very often.

Saint PuraMdara dAsa says, “nigamakE silukada agaNita mahimana….”

Thus while meditating on various activities of the Lord, She discovers new guNAs and praises the Lord and becomes happy. LaxmI dEvi is the abhmAni dEvatA of the three worldly guNas like sata, raja, tamas. JagannAtha dAsa appeals to this triguNamAni to protect us and keep us happy (chittadali AnaMda sukhavanIvaLu RamA---PuraMdara dAsa).

Atmabhava = son of Lord nArAyaNA (born from the navel of the Lord) andfilled with innumerable good qualities and most liked by Lord. He isBrahma dEva

niRjarasabhA = by GaruDa, shESha R^idra and other demigods

saMsEvya = revered and worshipped by them

R^ijugaNadarasE = R^ijus are those who are devoid of ignorance, not onthe wrong path of life and adore the Lord. There are 200 R^ijus as such.All these R^ijus are entitled to move towards the title ‘Brahma’. Brahmais the ‘arasa’ or king of all R^ijus.

satvaprachura = the proportion of satva guNAs in Brahma being highest

vANI = Saraswati dEvi

mukhasarOja = lotus face

ina = just like the Sun, the lotus flower blossoms in sunshine so alsoSaraswati dEvi’s face blossoms by the radiant rays of Brahma

garuDa = GaruDa dEva

shESha = shESha dEva

shashAMkadaLashEkharara = R^idra dEva or ChaMdrashEkara

janaka = father of GaruDa, shESha & R^idra

jagadguruvE = Brahma is the guru for all the 3 lOkAs. He is thus theguru for mukti entitled jIvAs

twachcharaNagaLige = at your feet

abhi = sAShTAMga namaskAra

vaMdisuve = pay obeisance

pAlipudu = please grant

sanmatiya = good knowledge i.e. divya jnAna

After paying obeisance to ShrI Hari and LaxmI dEvi, JagannAtha dAsa nowpays obeisance to Brahma dEva who is jIvOttama.ShrI Hari directs the worldly phenomenon through Brahma. Brahma means ‘complete’. Brahma possesses maximum knowledge and bliss among the jIvAs thus termed as Brahma. Shri Hari is Parabrahma. Brahma is free from ignorance (about Hari) even during praLaya.

JIvAs with such quality are called R^ijus. There are 200 such R^ijus waiting to become Brahma. Shatanada R^iju obtained the title of Brahma after doing sAdhanA for 100 kalpAs, reaching the level of vAyu and then getting the title of Brahma. He has maximum satva guNAs (goodness qualities).

Brahma is next only to Sri Hari and LaxmI in tAratamya, and is the head of R^iju. Vayu is next in-line or Brahma-elect. That is, in the next kalpa, VAyu will become Brahma and so on. Brahma and VAyu are put in the same class of jIvas.The sons of Brahma - Garuda, Sesha, and Rudra are in the next class of jIvas in the hierarchy.

JagannAtha dAsa pays obeisance to Brahma dEva and urges Him to grantdivya jnAna

abjaja kalpa pariyaMta = abjaj means lotus (ap - in water, ja - born,together this means it is a lotus flower). Brahma is born from the navel of the PadmanAbharUpI paramAtmA. Thus abjaja means Brahma devaru. Kalpa is the life span of Brahma (100 years). Thus 'abjaja kalpa pariyaMta' can be understood thus - till the end of the Brahma kalpa vAyu dEvaru performs 21600 shwAsa japAs per day in three types of jIvAs as stated.

tA rachisi = The inhalation of air is linked to the resonance 'haM' and the exhalation is linked to 'sa'. The complete process of inhalation and exhalation is 'haMsa maMtra' devised by VAyu dEvaru and he alone is sanctioned to execute this maMtra

sAtvarige sukha = to those who are entitled for mukti or liberation or freedom from material consciousness, such jIvAs are granted bliss in VaikuMThalOka

saMsAra mishrarige = to the rAjasic jIvAs (family persons) he grantsmixed experience of bliss and sorrow.

adhamajanarige = for tAmasic jIvAs (extremely cruel jIvAs)

apAraduHkhagaLIva = gives them permanent sorrow

gurupavamAna = jIvOttama vAyudEvaru

salahu = please bestow divyajnAna

emma = to us

After praising Lord shrI LaxmInarasiMha, MahalaxmI dEvi, Brahma dEva in the order of tAratamya, JagannAtha dAsa pays obeisance to VAyu dEvaru. Vayu dEva performs 21600 haMsa maMtra in all the three types of jIvAs till the end of kalpa and then VAyu (MukyaprAna) breaks the liMga dEha of jIvas with his mace and sends them to their respective state; that is, nitya sukha for sAtvik souls, mix of happiness and sorrow to rAjasic souls, and eternal sorrow or hell for tAmasic souls.

Saraswati is the consort of Brahma. Her knowledge remains undestroyed even during praLaya. Her knowledge is flawless, immaculate and especially complete in all respects. She is thus recognized as vEdAbhimAni. Therefore, it is impossible to gain real knowledge of VEdAs without her blessings. She holds the vINA in her hand.

JagannAtha dAsa urges Saraswati dEvi to reside in the configuration of our face. He begs for her juxtaposition on his tongue to enable him to praise the limitless good qualities of shrI Hari with devotion.

kR^itiramaNa = kR^iti is another name for laxmI. ramaNa means herhusband.

pradyumna naMdane = daughter of pradyumna (another name for nArAyaNa)

chaturaviMshati = twenty four

tatvapati = tatvabhimanis (more later)

dEvategaLige = R^idra and other dEvatAs

guruvenisutiha = known as chief

mArutana = vAyu dEva’s

nijapatni = nIta patni - wife

satata = always (again 24 by 7)

hariyali = in nArAyaNa

gurugaLali = in VAyu devaru

sadratiya = extremely sAtvic devotion

pAlisi = please reward me with blessings

bhAgavata = bhAgavata purANa

bhArata = mahAbhArata

purANa = other purANas

rahasya tatvagaLa = secrets of vEdArthA

aruhu = enable me to understand

karuNadali = please kindly

In order to administer the program of world’s creation, stability, destruction and provide salvation to the entitled spirits, Lord nArAyaNa takes forms of aniruddha, pradyumna, saMkarShNa, vAsudEva. To facilitate this function RamAdEvi takes the form of shAMti, kr^iti, jayA and mAyA respectively. BhArati dEvi is the daughter of pradyumna-kR^iti. She is thus called “pradyumna naMdane”.

The creation of this Universe consists of 24 tatvAs as below:-sthUla tatvAsjnAnEMdriyas =5karmEMdriyas =5paMchabhUtAs =5paMchatanmAtra =5

There is one abhimAni dEvatA for each tatva. vAyu dEvaru is the Chief ofall these abhimAni dEvatAs. BhAratI dEvi is the consort of vAyu dEvaru.BharatI is the abhimAni dEvi for bhakti.

JagannAtha dAsa begs her to bestow steady & unbroken bhakti in ShrI Hariand vAyu (guru). He implores her to grant devotional understanding ofthe supremacy of the Lord through the secrets of the hidden meaningstated in bhAgavata, mahAbhArata and other purANAs.

Shri GopAla dAsaru has said in his song, “BhArati bhakutiyanU, koDuvudu,mArutasati nInu”

lOkapavitra = the form which is a Purifier of the Universe (the entitledsouls among the tri-jIvAs are purified after liMga dEha bhaMga)

sucharitra = possessing auspicious history

chhEdha bhEda = dissecting the body with special weapons

viShAda =repentance

kuTila = hatred, deception etc..

aMta = end

Adi = beginning

madhya = center

vidUra = He who is far away from the above faults or demerits (and hasno beginning or end)

AdAnAdi = one who accepts pUjA from Brahma and other demigods

kAraNa = reason to be

bAdarAyaNa = VEdavyAsa dEvaru of Badri

pAhi = please protect

satrANa = by giving me strength to sing your praises

Lord nArAyaNa incarnated himself in the form of VEdavyAsa dEvaru and explained the VEdAs and wrote mahAbhArata too and counseled knowledge to the world. VEdavyAsa dEvaru was the knowledge provider to Brahma, R^idra, iMdra and other dEvatAs. He was not naturally born as other humans but He was a body mass containing mixture of boundless happiness & knowledge.

Naturally His body was not destructible like other human bodies, nor was He affected by earthly happiness or sorrows, diseases or disabilities like us mortals He thus had extraordinary happiness and bravery. He thus had no beginning, or end to His life.

Lord nArAyaNa (VEdavyAsa) cannot be dissected in any way. He has neither hatred nor does he display he deceive anyone, nor does he have any beginning or end. Chanting His holy name purifies us.

JagannAtha dAsa prays with focused attention to bAdarAyANa (or VEdavyAsa dEvaru) with devotion and prays to grant superior strength to praise the Lord.

rachise = took the responsibility of destroying those contradictorymeanings to VEdAs

naDumaneyeMba = person by name ‘madhyagEha’ meaning ‘center house’

brAhmaNana = a brahmin

satiya = his wife

jaTharadoLu = took form in her womb and portrayed that he was born there

avatarisi = descended as an incarnation of

bhAratiramaNa = VAyu dEvaru (husband of BhArati dEvi)

madhvAbhidhAnadi = called as ShrIman MadhvAchArya

chaturadasha lOkadali = in 14 lOkAs

merada = became world famous

apratimage = he who destroyed the 21 contradictory meanings given toVEdAs and established that ViShNu is Supreme

vaMdisuve = I bow to you

maNimaMta and other and other demons (tAmasic souls) were born on thisEarth. In the previous yugas i.e. in tretA yuga and dvAparayuga theywere killed by vAyu and bhIma respectively and these demons vowed to bereborn in kaliyuga and propagate teachings contradictory to the meaningstated in VEdAs.

They publicized that, “I am God, this World is an illusion, jIvAs andBrahma are equal etc.”Then as per the orders from shrI Hari, vAyu dEvaru descended on thisEarth as MadhvAcharya – born to the family of MadhyagEhabhaTTa –vEdavati.

“tR^itIyamasya vR^iShabhasya dOhasEdashapramatiM janayaMta yOShaNaH”

–BaLitthA sUktameaning – this dEva srEShTa vAyu took his third incarnation asMadhvamuni to establish complete knowledge as stated in the VEdAs.

MadhvAcharya then established our well known Madhva siddhaMta that,“Hari is Supreme, VAyu is supreme among jIvAs, this World is real,paMchabhEda (will explain in next stanza) exists.” and he becameillustrious in 14 lOkAs and earned the name as “bhagavad kArya sAdhaka”

vAmadEva = mahaR^idra always thinks about ShrI Hari residing on the leftside of his body (vAma side), thus called vAmadEva

viriMchitanaya = born to Brahma from his eyebrows

umAmanOhara = one who keeps PArvati dEvi happy

ugra = one who is in charge of destruction activity

dhUrjaTi = smoky, mauve color (pale purple color) hair.

sAmaja = elephant’s

ajina = skin

vasanabhUShaNa = decorated as cloth (refer the words“gajacharmAMbarana…..” in the song ‘kaMDe karuNa nidhiya’ written bypuraMdara dAsa.

sumanasa + uttaMsa = higher than iMdra and other dEvatAs

kAmahara = he who reduced Manmatha to ashes by his eyes

kailAsamaMdira = KailAsa mountain is his abode

sOma = has Moon in his left eyes

sUrya = has Sun in his right eyes

anala = has Fire in his forehead

vilOchana = has a special third eye

kAmitaprada = he who grants whatever his devotees ask for

karuNisu = please grant me with Kindliness (Sympathy)

emage = to us

sadA = always

sumaMgaLava = knowledge which is conductive to prosperity

In this verse Jagannatha dAsa pays obeisance to R^idra dEvaru, who is the manObhimani dEvatA. During the creation of this world he was born from the eyebrows of Brahma.

R^idra keeps PArvati dEvi always happy. He obtained the blessing of shrI Hari after performing Prayer and meditation for 10 dina kalpAs under sea water (salt water). He is therefore called ‘ugratapasvi’. R^idra spread his hair across the sky in order to receive Ganga river (which originated from the toe of paramatmA).

He is therefore also called ‘vyOmakEsha’ or ‘dhUrjaTi’. He is covered with an elephant skin. He is the adviser to iMdra and other lesser dEvatAs. He reduced Manmatha to ashes by blowing fire from the third eye on his forehead because he tried to disturb his penance.

KailAsa Mountain is his abode. He has the Moon in his left eye, the Sun in his right eye and Fire in the third eye on his forehead. Since he is the manObhimAni he can fulfill all our desires.

JagannAtha dAsa prays to R^idra to bless us with the knowledge that shrIHari is supreme and lead us to prosperity.

In this stanza, JagannAtha dAsa extends the eminence of R^idra. R^idrais dressed with the tiger skin, has elephant skin on his body. Beforecoming to the position of R^idra he did penance for 40 kalpa under VAyudEvaru and studied the VEda-s. Then he performed penance under the seafor 10 kalpa and pleased saMkarShNa rUpi paramAtma and became famous asdevOttama and obtained the position of shESha.

iMdra had killed a demon called ‘PAka’ thus he is called ‘PAkashAsana’.IMdra is next level below R^idra in tAratamya.

In this stanza, JagannAtha pays obeisance to iMdra and all other dEvatAs, pitR^i dEvatAs, gaMdharvAs, all earthly emperors, and the long list of seers starting for madhvAcharya, followed by padmanAbha tIrtha, narahari tIrtha. He then pays obeisance to all dAsa-s, starting from puraMdara dAsa, vijaya dAsa, until his own master gOpAla dAsa who uplifted him in life.

The fragrance of a blooming flower is carried by air (VAyu) and reaches our nose (j~nAEMdriya), we thus experience the aroma. Also, ‘Fire’ hidden in firewood comes alive as soon as it comes in contact with frictional spark / flames of a yaj~nakuMDa. However that fire cannot be seen until such time at all.

Similarly, shrI Hari resides in the minds of Brahma and other dEvatAs, seeing their knowledge about Him, manifests Himself in them as per their yOgyata but they cannot view His limitless rUpAs and guNAs.

tatvAbhimAni dEvatAs are generally able to perceive the Lord’s as per their j~nAna.

YashOdA dEvi believed that KR^iShNa was just like any other child and when she caught Him stealing butter she chased him and tied Him to a wooden grinding mortar as punishment. He then displayed His greatness and was thus known as dAmOdara. In order to obtain the His special sympathy, the salvation hopeful jIvas must praise the gunAs of immaculate devotees of shrI Hari every moment.